Kenya Students Itching For A Laugh Are Scratched By Judge

NAIROBI, KENYA — Three high school students were sentenced to 3 months in jail Tuesday for sprinkling itching powder on bar patrons in a hotel, the Kenya News Agency reported.

``I refuse to treat this matter as child`s play, because this type of hooliganism can ruin the entire hotel industry,`` said Samuel Khasiani, a town magistrate in Kisumu, in sentencing the three youths.

Police said two brothers, Sandeep and Paresh Shah, and Franzgerd Winski, a West German national, entered the Imperial Hotel in Kisumu, 150 miles northwest of Nairobi, last Saturday night and quietly began spreading itching powder on customers drinking in the bar.

As customers scratched and itched, the three then set off a tiny smoke bomb, which started a stampede for the exits. One person was slightly injured. When police arrived they saw 20 bar patrons rolling on the grass in various states of undress scratching wildly. The youths pleaded guilty to the charge of disturbing the peace. They said they were just bored and looking for some fun.